Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Larry I (A) on March 02, 2010 at 06:08:12

In Reply to: RE: Sacrilege! posted by Harmonia on March 01, 2010 at 18:39:15

I found the film deadly dull. The only amusement for me was seeing how it promoted the nobility of the early athletes, which is so contrary to the history of the games.

The idea that that the original modern Olympics had a kind of "purity" is utter BS. Has anyone reasonably explained the "amateur ideal" of the Olympics that existed thoughout most of the modern Olympic era?

The founders were British aristocrats who did not want to compete with anyone who could beat them. So, they cooked up the amateur requirement because only the idle wealthy could train full time and not need monetary compensation as an athlete.